 In 722 A.D., St. Maelrubha founded a monastery on the site that today is Balnakiel Church, located in the far northwest of Scotland near the village of Durness.
Balnakeil Church is believed to have been built by Donald Mackay of Farr in 1619. The story of Balnakeil Church extends back rather further than the early 1600s. There is a written reference from the early 1200s to a church being located here, which appears to have been built over by the 1619 construction. Going back even further, there is a story that a chapel was founded here by Saint Maelrubha. The old church stands on the site of one of the first Christian establishments and one of the oldest Culdee settlements in Sutherland. Culdees were missionaries from Iona. It developed into one of the most important Celtic monasteries in the northwest of Scotland.
St. Maelrubha was, after St. Columba, perhaps the most popular saint of the northwest of Scotland. At least twenty-one churches are dedicated to him. An abbot and martyr, founder of Abercrossan, he was born in 642 A.D. in the county of Derry in Ireland. He was educated at Bangor. When he was in his thirtieth year he sailed from Ireland for Scotland, with a following of monks. For two years he travelled about, chiefly in Argyll, and founded about half dozen churches then settled at Abercrossan (Applecross), in the west of Ross. Here he built his chief church and monastery in the midst of the Picts. From here, he set out on many missionary journeys. It was on his last journey that he was martyred by Danish vikings in the Strathnaver area where he had built a cell. He was buried close to the River Naver not far from his cell, and his grave is still marked by a rough cross-marked stone called the Red Priest Stone.
Today's Balnakeil Church comprises a T-shaped structure with a main body running east to west, and an aisle on the north side. The walls are in fairly good shape, if extensively covered by ivy, and the three crowstepped gables help the ruin stand out from a distance.
About Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Durness.org: Balnakiel Church
Undiscovered Scotland: Balnakiel Church
Britain Express: Balnakiel Church
New Adent Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Maelrubha
Journey to Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Balnakiel Church is stands at the western end of Balnakeil Bay, looking across to Balnakiel Beach and a long sweep of sand dunes in the distance. To reach Balnakeil church, ollow the signs for Balnakeil from Durness off the A838. There is a parking area at the end of the road. An interpretive panel near the church tells more about the site.
Streetmap UK NGR NC3910668663
Visitors Information
Visitors information for Balnakiel Church may be found at the Durness.org website. General tourist information may be found at the same site.
Additional Photos of Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Approaching Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Descriptive Sign in Front of Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Graveyard at Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Tree Growing on Outside of Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
Balnakiel Beach near Balnakiel Church (St. Maelrubha's Monastery)
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